Only Time Will Tell
by fairy-girl27
Summary: Cream: I was really worried about Tails, losing Cosmo was so hard on him, he loved her so much. So I went to see him, to try and help, and things... happened. And now I'm blushing around him! I don't get it, what's wrong with me?
1. What Friends Are For

**Hello people! I'm back with another fanfic, my first of 2006! This is idea that came to me after watching the French episodes of the third season of Sonic X. I must warn you though, I'm not very good at understanding French, so if any of the details in this story are incorrect then I'm really sorry and please let me know so I can change them. Also, since the story is written 1 year after the last episode of Sonic X, all the characters are a year older than in the games. Anyway, I hope you like it!**

**This chapter is written from Cream's point of view.**

**Disclaimer: I'm afraid I can't take credit for Cream, Tails, Cosmo or anything mentioned in this story. They were all created by the geniuses at SEGA.

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It's been a year since it happened, since Cosmo went away. It shouldn't have happened, she was so sweet and gentle, and she was so nice to me. She was my friend, and I still think of her often. But not as often as Tails...

He misses her more than he lets us know, but he can't hide it from me because I know how he's feeling. I've been through it before. Though to be fair, It wasn't quite the same situation. Cosmo sacrificed herself to save us all, were as my friend went out of control and put us all in danger. But either way, we both had to destroy the ones we loved. And when I think back, I know that I did love Emerl. Probably not in the same way that Tails loved Cosmo, but I loved him all the same, just like I love all my friends. Just like I love Tails.

That's why I hate to see him the way he is now. He's become so withdrawn, and he's hardly ever cheerful anymore. After her death, when he was forced to shoot her, he buried himself in his work, his machines. He must have rewired the X-Tornado at least 20 times, always making various improvements and different modifications. Not that he goes out flying very oftento test them. To be honest, I don't think I've seen him leave his workshop in weeks. And he's never looked at another girl. I guess that's why it's so hard for him. He loved her not as a friend, but as a girl, and I know he would have done anything to protect her, to save her if he could. I've never had that; I've never been in love with a boy properly. Maybe I'm just too young... but I do feel a lot older these days. Perhaps that's just because I've seen and done so much. But that's what comes from hanging out with Sonic, things just kinda happen around him.

It was late evening when I went round to Tails's workshop. I was worried about him, we all were. I know why he's so distant now though, despite that he seemed to be improving a few weeks ago. Today was the day Cosmo left us forever, exactly one year ago, and Tails said that he wished to be left alone. I wanted to respect his wishes, I really, really did. I should have done what he wanted and left him alone with his grief, that's what a true friend would do, right? I very nearly did as well, when I reached the closed door of his secluded home, handed raised in preparation to knock, I thought whether he would be happy to see me, and I realised that if I was in his shoes, I would probably want to be left alone too. And so I thought better of it, and turned to leave. I actually felt pretty lost and lonely myself. It was cold and dark, the wind whistled though my ears and tugged at my dress, and this was the first time in ages I didn't have Cheese with me. He was back at home with my mother, since I though that Tails wouldn't appreciate his cheerful nature. I miss my little Chao; I wish he was here with me now. I miss her too.

_Oh Cosmo, I wish you were still here..._

Hugging myself sadly, I felt tears prick the corners of my eyes and the usual battle commenced, as I attempted to keep them back. It was always the same, I just couldn't help it. The tears just wouldn't stop coming. But I promised myself that I'd try not to be such baby anymore, for Tails's sake.

_Come on Cream, get a grip!_

That's when I heard it, a strange, faint sobbing sound. Kind of like when I was desperately trying not to cry, and failing miserably. At first I thought it was me, and that the tears had come out victorious once more, but then I realised that the sound was coming from beyond the closed doors behind me.

_Tails...?_

Please don't ask what made me do it. I'm not even sure myself, all I know is that I found myself pushing open the doors to his workshop and slipping quietly inside. I was surprised at my sudden stealth, and visions of an older me sneaking through twilight corridors, sleek and mysterious like a certain bat I know, flashed across my mind. But I was kidding myself, the well oiled doors and my light feet were the only reasons for my entrance not being detected. I found the workshop dark and empty. The machines cast eerie shadows along the pristine floor, their distorted forms reminding me a lot of Eggman's robots, and presently I shivered, feeling nervous. The faint glow of light, highlighting the edges of a closed door from across the room caught my attention, and I tiptoed silently towards the dim source, placing my cold, gloved hands on the handle. The sobs were clearer now, though still not very loud, and the doubt came again as I was on the verge of pushing the door open.

_Should I?_

Shaking myself, I attempted to clear my head, which was surprisingly clouded for a 7 year old. Tails needed someone, he may not want anyone but that was beside the point. And he wasn't the only one who was upset about Cosmo, I miss her too, and friends should be there for each other in times of need. I made my decision. I opened the door.

He was sitting in the corner of the room, his back to me, bathed in the soft glow of his desk lamp which turned his orange fur golden. Sensing my intrusion, he turned to me, surprise mixed with sadness in his aqua eyes. I noticed his cheeks were wet, and he held a flower in his hand.

"Cream? What are you doing here?" His voice was thick from crying, that much was obvious as he furiously attempted to wipe his eyes without being noticed.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you Tails, but I was worried about you-"

He turned his back on me before I could finish, "I said I didn't want to see anyone."

"But Tails…"

"Please just leave me alone!"

It wasn't a request, I knew it wasn't, he didn't want me there. He probably hates me now. Why did I have to come here tonight? Why do I always end up doing the wrong thing? And then, to my shame, the tears came again, and this time I was unable to hold them back. I felt them slide uncontrollably down my cheeks, warm and wet, making my surroundings sparkle and blur. Tails's gaze was upon me now, I could feel it, and so I did the only thing I could think of in my current situation, I buried my head in my hands and sank to the floor. I wanted to leave, but that was impossible since I couldn't distinguish the door from anything else in the room due to my distorted vision.

_Why am I so stupid?_

"Please don't cry."

And he was beside me, kneeling on the tiled floor with one hand on my shoulder. His touch surprised me, and I looked up to see his face straight in front of mine, his eyes bright with concern. We were so close, only a few centimetres apart.

"I should never have come," I sniffed. My voice came even higher than usual, and I couldn't tear my eyes away from his, no matter how much I wanted to.

"No… don't say that." His voice was softer now; like me, he wouldn't raise it over a whisper. "I'm sorry I was so mean to you, I didn't mean to be. It's just so hard…"

He trailed off as another tear escaped and rolled down his damp fur, yet he made no move to wipe it away, and his steady gaze never left mine. He sighed sadly and continued, "I miss her so much."

"I know, but I hate seeing you like this Tails, and I-I really miss her too. A-And after everything with Emerl, I thought that you'd understand…"

It was then that Tails did the most unexpected thing. Leaning over, he pulled me towards him and hugged me close, as if he was holding something precious. For a moment I couldn't move for shock, then I relaxed a little, warm in his arms.

"I'm sorry Cream," he murmured.

I couldn't speak, I just knelt there, my head resting on his chest so his soft fur rubbed my cheek. It felt so comfortable yet so strange… I've never been so close to him before, and we've certainly never hugged. Yet here I was with his arms around me, as close to him, a boy, as I could possibly be. I suddenly felt the colour rise in my cheeks. I have no idea how long we knelt there, hugging. It was probably for just a few minutes, but it felt like hours to me. I couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of disappointment when he eventually pulled away.

"You ok?" he asked.

_His eyes are so blue; I've never noticed that before…_

Somehow I managed to nod, "Yes, I'm fine now."

Then he smiled. It was small and weak, but a smile none the less, a smile just for me. Our faces were still only inches apart, and I hoped that he'd just think my cheeks were flushed from crying.

_Oh so very close…_

Then he got up and walked back to his desk, were he carefully returned the flower to its small vase, and I found that I could move again. Tails still looked sad, but it was different to the sadness from before. He checked the wall clock and a flicker of surprise crossed his face.

"Cream, have you seen the time? It's really late."

I hadn't realised. Exactly how long had I been there? Time no longer seemed important. "You're right, I should go."

"No, its dark out, and your house is ages away. I have a spare bed, why don't you stay here the night? You can call your mother and let her know if you want, that way she won't worry."

Hastily, I got up from the floor and stared at him uncertainly. "Are you sure, wouldn't you rather be alone?"

"No, I'm glad you came, I needed the company." He smiled again, "Thank you Cream."

Trying to ignore the weird sensation that occurred inside me when he smiled, I put on a cheery grin, "No problem Tails, that's what friends are for!"

"Then it's settled, I'll go and make up the bed for you."

He brushed passed me as he left the room, and I felt the funny feeling deep down once more.

_What's wrong with me?

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**Well, that's one chapter finished. I hope it was ok.**

**I just want to say that I'm a Tails/Cosmo fan as well as a Tails/Cream fan. I thought it was horrible that poor Cosmo died at the end of Sonic X. That's why I wanted to write this fic, because I think Tails deserves to find love again after losing it so early in his life. Plus, let's face it, Tails and Cream are absolutely adorable together! So please tell me what you think of the story. I'd really appreciate your opinions and I love all kinds of reviews! **

**Oh, and thank you so much to everyone who reviewed Fairy Lights!** **- **

**CrystalRose727, Electrode the Hedgehog, sapphire dragon, Faye Lunacorn, Chibi Yoshi, Nickernack, Rika the Strange, Samantha27, Metal Heart - Ruby Fangs, funvtfun, Knifeshadow, Sofia, Tails5555, Bitter Pain, xXPureOtakuPyroXx, Kolorado, amyrocks, Blastkid, MajorSonamyFan, and sarah johnstone. You're all soooooooo awesome!**

**Keep reviewing!**


	2. Stormy Weather

**Well I've finally updated, I hope that this chapter is worth the wait. I won't bore you with the usual excuses, so read and enjoy people! And more importantly, REVIEW! Lol.**

**Speaking of reviews, big thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter - CrystalRose727, chuboy, xXPureOtakuPyroXx, Zeno Bell,** **and Marik! You're all awesome beyond words!**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately Cream and Tails do not belong to me, as much as I wish they did. They, along with all other references to Sonic's world, belong to SEGA.**

_**Thoughts are in italics.

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**Cream's POV**

The following morning greeted us with the promise of storm. Clouds of steel grey concealed the usual azure of the early October skies, leaving only a few slits for the weak sunlight to reveal itself. I always love the effect the clouds and the sun create on days like this; the thin beams of light always look so pretty as they filter through the dreary expanse above them, shining down on the world below. But still, those clouds weren't going anywhere anytime soon, all I could do was hope that the rain would keep off until I made it home.

Peeking apprehensively out of the workshop window, I wondered what exactly I would do if the heavens decided to open on me while I was walking back to my house. The night before had been so clear, and since I didn't expect to stay over, the thought of what the weather would be like the next day never entered my head. I shuddered slightly despite the indoor warmth; I really hate getting my ears wet!

A soft tap on my shoulder aroused me from my thoughts, "Hey Cream, are you ok?"

Startled, I whirled round and came face to face with Tails, who jumped back a little when he saw my expression, his bright blue eyes once again filled with concern. "I'm sorry, I didn't scare you did I?"

Feeling my cheeks grow warm under his gaze, I rapidly shook my head, making my long ears whip around as I did so, in hope that he wouldn't notice. "No, no I'm fine!" came my overly enthusiastic reply, "I-I was just miles away!"

"Heh heh, that's good."

I looked up to see him grinning at me; I guess he must have found my reaction funny. Oh well, it worth it to see him smiling again.

_He looks so cute when he smiles…_

Wait a minute! When did I start thinking of Tails like that! Maybe shaking my head so fast wasn't such a good idea… I think I'm dizzy.

"Are you sure you're alright? Your cheeks look kinda red," he was looking at me anxiously again. "Do you feel sick?"

My blush deepened, "N-no! I'm just a little warm, that's all!" I said, giggling nervously in an attempt to hide my embarrassment. "I really should be going; otherwise my mother will wonder where I am. I said I'd be back before noon."

He was still staring at me, I could feel it. I've always been a terrible liar. Averting my gaze, I quickly made my way towards the front doors, not daring to meet his eyes. I don't understand it, I really don't! Why on earth am I acting so weird? It's not like me… and if I'm not careful, I'll end up making Tails worry, and he doesn't need that. I came to regret my hastiness though, as I skidded slightly across the smooth tiles, completely loosing my balance. I gasped, my voice raising an octave as I fought to stay on my feet.

"Careful Cream!"

A pair of warm hands came to my rescue, gently holding my arm to steady me. I expected him to let go once he was sure I wouldn't fall again, but to my surprise he didn't, and instead turned me towards him, forcing me to look him in the eyes.

_Those eyes…_

"Cream, if you're not well you shouldn't try to hide it," he said sternly, wagging his finger at me in that know-it-all manner, "What if you faint or something while you're walking home?"

"T-Tails…"

He still hadn't released my arm… but at that point I wasn't sure that I wanted him to. Oh great, here comes that funny feeling again. That's all I need!

The fox boy's expression softened, "I'm not trying to be funny, I just don't want anything bad to happen to you."

"I know."

Then he let go and backed away slightly, but still refused to look away. I suppressed a sigh of relief; the strange sensation only seemed to come when we were close. Doing what I do best, I gave him a cheery smile, "Thanks for worrying about me but you really don't need to. I'm fine, I promise!"

Tails still didn't seem convinced, but I guess that he thinks it's his job to worry about me, since I'm younger than him and everything. He shrugged his shoulders in defeat,

"Ok, if you're sure."

I headed outside where my presence was acknowledged by a flurry of fallen leaves. The wind was surprisingly strong, and I began to fear for my dress as it continued to pluck persistently at the edges of the fabric. But at least it was still dry, that was all that mattered. Tails followed me out to see me off; his twin propellers seemed to have lives of their own as they were blown about in random directions.

I bowed politely, "Thank you for letting me stay over."

"No problem. Besides, it's me who should be thanking you…"

I watched as some of last night's sadness returned to his eyes, and I found myself wanting to go closer and comfort him, despite of what I knew would happen. Fighting the temptation, I settled for cocking my head to one side in what I hoped was a sympathetic manner. "Hey, are you going to be ok?"

He sniffed and gave me a weak grin, "Yeah, I'm going to try to get back to normal now. I know that Cosmo wouldn't want me to mope around like this."

"She'd just want you to be happy," I smiled sincerely.

"Yeah…" he murmured, almost too softly for even my sensitive ears to pick up, "But

I don't think that anyone could make me happy like she could."

I just stood there, staring at him sadly, not knowing what to say. What could you say in response to something like that? So I waved goodbye and proceeded to walk home with my arms firmly clamped down the sides of my red-orange school dress, still worrying about my friend.

_Poor Tails…_

Being alone with your thoughts tends to make your mind come up with ways to occupy itself, and so after walking for a while I found myself pondering my sudden strange behaviour while I was in Tails's company. I must admit that this was quite new to me, as usually my carefree lifestyle didn't require me dwell on things too much. But no matter how hard I thought about it, the answer continued to evade me. I sighed in exasperation; maybe Tails was right, maybe I was coming down with something.

_I could have a fever… that would explain why my cheeks have been feeling so hot._

No, I knew that couldn't be it, because for some strange curious reason this fever only came when I was close to Tails, or when I thought he looked cute. Like I'm doing now. Argh, it's happening again! That does it, I'm definitely sick. Maybe I should tell mother when I get home…

Feeling suitably mystified by the whole thing, I hardly noticed when my feet automatically carried me down the neat garden path and came to a halt on the front step of my house. Blinking several times to clear my head, I eventually recognised the polished wooden door in front of me and raised my hand in preparation to knock – just as I felt a large rain drop land on my left ear. I shivered, feeling the cold water trickle unpleasantly down my fur.

_Oooooooooooh! I really, really hate getting my ears wet!_

Almost as if I'd said my thoughts out loud, the door suddenly swung open allowing me to shelter from the elements, and I was welcomed by the hyperactive squeaks of my dear Chao. In fact, I'd only taken two steps over the threshold before Cheese came barrelling into me like a tiny aqua-yellow cannonball, very nearly knocking me to the floor in his excitement about my return.

"Cheese!" I laughed as he hugged my arm, refusing to let go, "Did you really miss me?"

"Chao-chao!" came his chirpy reply.

Holding him in both hands, I giggled, the funny-Tails-feeling forgotten, "Aw, I really missed you too!"

"Cream? Is that you?"

"Yes mother, I'm home!"

I dashed into the kitchen (which was spotless as usual) were her voice was coming from, still clutching Cheese to my chest. It felt so good to be with him again! Mother was standing by the gleaming counter, stirring the contents of a mixing bowl when I entered, but she put it down as soon as she saw me, knowing that I'd rush up and hug her, as was my custom.

"Hi sweetie," she smiled, "did you have a good time with Tails?"

I calmed down a little at her words, desperately trying not to think about the funny-Tails-feeling, "Oh yeah, it was great."

I never did tell mother why I went round to see him the night before. I'm not sure why, it's really not like me to keep things from her, but for some reason I just couldn't explain my sudden need to go and see him so late. I think that she understood though, because she didn't ask any questions. My mother really is wonderful.

"Aw, I'm glad you had fun," she said, returning to her mixture, "It was good of Tails to let you sleep over; he's such a nice boy."

"Yeah."

"It's such a shame about what happened to that poor Cosmo; it really hit him hard didn't it?"

"Yeah…"

Noticing how quiet I'd become, she knelt down so that our eyes were level and cupped my face in her hands, smiling in that kind, motherly way, "Don't worry sweetheart, I'm sure seeing you helped him more than you realise. He'll be himself again soon."

Feeling a little shocked at my mother's mind reading ability, I could only stare at her, my hazel eyes wide, "How did you know?"

"Because I'm your mother," she winked, stroking my head, "Now cheer up; we've got cake for after dinner!"

My face lit up instantly, "Really? With ice cream?"

"Of course," she said, standing up and placing one hand on her hip playfully, "it would be totally barbaric for me to serve cake without ice cream!"

"YAY!" I cheered joyfully, swinging Cheese around in circles.

"Chao!"

Catching sight of the weather outside, I soon stopped my jubilant dancing, which was probably for the best since Cheese was getting dizzy. Sitting down on the cushioned window seat, I peeked out through the misty glass as the poor Chao swayed from side to side in my arms, the yellow blob which floated above his head now a spiral of confusion. Large water droplets slid down the other side of the window while the wind buffeted the trees around the house, but that wasn't what interested me. The fields around my home were usually abundant in beautiful flowers of all kinds and colours, but I noticed recently that they had been getting fewer and fewer as the weeks grew colder. I knew that it couldn't be helped, it was just the time of year: winter was coming. But still, it made me sad to think that soon there wouldn't be any flowers left to play in. I sighed quietly, so as not to draw attention to myself while mother was setting out the plates.

_Cosmo loved the flowers too…_

**Tails's POV**

I thought that I'd be glad to see her go, to be alone again. Alone with just my thoughts about Cosmo for company. Not that I have anything against Cream, I like her a lot, I really do, and I meant what I said. I am glad that she came to see me last night. I just assumed that I'd be relieved when she left because then I wouldn't have to put on act anymore, I wouldn't have to pretend to be strong, that I could cope. But I was wrong.

I never realised until I watched her walk away down that path, skipping slightly down the slope in that playful way of hers, exactly how much her being here with me had helped. It was as if putting on a brave face for her had proven to me that it wasn't that hard to do, or at least that it was possible. I didn't think even think that smiling was possible a few days ago, yet today I found myself grinning at Cream as she got all embarrassed for no reason… So you can understand how surprised I felt when the expected feeling of hopelessness and despair didn't return as I was sure it would. Granted, it hasn't disappeared completely, but it's certainly decreased in magnitude, and life seems a bit more bearable now because of it.

_Cream did that…_

I was thinking about her a lot actually. Probably just because I was in the spare room, straightening the rumpled sheets on the small bed where she slept last night, but still… My mind cast back to the early hours of this morning as I worked, remembering how she looked when I went to wake her up. I only did it because I didn't want her mother to worry if slept in late, and considering how late the two of us stayed up last night, it wouldn't have surprised me if the little bunny hadn't woken up till midday. But when I first went in she looked so peaceful, curled up amidst the woollen, chequered blankets, breathing softly, that I almost didn't want to wake her. The pushy sunbeams had managed to seep in through the cracks in the closed blinds, stressing the fact that they hadn't been dusted in a while, and landed on the crown of her head, highlighting the tips of her pale tan fur. In my eyes she looked nothing short of angelic…

Rubbing the back of my head in an attempt to organise my thoughts, I sank onto the bed, completely destroying my hard work as the covers wrinkled at my touch. Why exactly am I thinking of Cream so much? I puzzled about it for a while, ignoring the golden specks of dust which danced around me, brought to life by the glow of the light bulb I'd switched on due to the stormy darkness. I don't like leaving problems unsolved, it annoys me.

_Maybe it's because of how she was acting this morning… She was being kinda weird._

That had to be it; I thought she didn't look well. What if she was just covering up so that I wouldn't worry? That's just the sort of thing she'd do. Feeling distinctly troubled, I rested my elbows on my knees and propped my head up with my hands, wondering what to do next.

_Perhaps I should go and see her, just to check she's ok…_

I shook my head furiously. No way! I couldn't do that! She probably wouldn't want to see me anyway… would she? No, of course not! There is no way I'm going to see her! Getting to my feet, I crossed the room to the window and sharply tugged on the worn cord, allowing the blinds to reveal the outside world. The weather continued to openly display its foul mood, the rain sheeting down while the wind grew ever stronger, taking delight in ripping the leaves from the vulnerable saplings before their time. To be honest, it's been ages since I'd left the workshop; I'd been so wrapped up in my grief over Cosmo that going out just didn't seem important anymore. And now that I thought about it, I wasn't sure that I was ready.

_Besides, the weather's too bad to go there now, I'll get soaked…_

A sudden sparkle caught my eye, and I turned to see something small and golden, about the size of a penny, winking at me from the corner of the room. My fox-like curiosity soon got the better of me, and I scooped it up and proceeded to roll the strange thing between my thumb and index finger. Upon closer inspection I realised that it was the gold pin that Cream usually had attached to the cuff of one of her gloves, she must have dropped it earlier and not noticed. At that moment the hammering of the rain suddenly slowed, before ceasing altogether. Listening to the slow but consistent drip of rain water from the edge of the guttering, I sighed reluctantly, ears drooping.

Do you ever get the feeling that life is against you?

**Cream's POV**

Skipping happily down the soggy dirt path, I turned towards my favourite field, delighted that the rain had finally decided to stop. Cheese flew along side me, rapidly flapping his tiny pink wings in order to keep up, but I hurried on regardless. I had been allowed out by my mother on the promise that I wouldn't stray too far in case the storm started again, and I fully intended to make the most of what little time I had left with the flowers before the winter frost stole them away from me. Praying that I wouldn't slip on the wet earth in my rush, I finally reached my destination and let out a relieved but blissful sigh.

Before me lay a vast meadow carpeted in rainbow blooms. Petals of nearly every shape and hue waved at me in the wind, though most were too weighed down with moisture to do little more than quiver when the strong breeze reached them. The usually faint, delicate sent of the flowers had been enhanced by the previous rainfall, so that it hung thick in the air, creating a dreamy atmosphere when combined with the glimmer of the dewed grass in the late afternoon sunlight. The clouds had begun to clear, permitting the wild blossoms to bask in the sun's remaining rays, and I joined them, feeling its warmth on my fur. The entire scene was enchanting.

My smile grew wider as I gazed around, taking in the beauty that surrounded me. The numbers paled in comparison to the amount of flowers that made their homes here in the middle of summer, a time when the blooms grew so thickly that it was impossible to walk without treading on them, but there were still plenty here. I was afraid that most of them had already died.

Noticing that Cheese was struggling to stay by my side, I hastily plucked him from the air before the currents carried him away, and held him close. The weather may have dried up but it was still seriously windy out here. Slowly, I made my way towards the nearest cluster and knelt down, intent on picking them for one of my flower crowns, still clutching the Chao in both arms. I was lucky; the rain hadn't made the ground too muddy thanks to the chilly temperatures which swept through the grasslands at nightfall. It was blowing a gale now; I could feel my ears streaming behind me and I was beginning to feel rather off balance myself. I started to think that this was not such a good idea: I'm really very light for a rabbit; I have to be to be able to fly with only my ears. Another gust of wind, more powerful than the ones before, blasted me from the side, nearly knocking me over, and clawed at the back of my dress as crouched as low as I was able, my eyes frantically searching for the nearest form of protection. Setting my sights on a great oak tree a few meters away, I strived against the elemental forces which whirled around me, praying that the tree's large, splayed branched would provide stable shelter. That was when I made my mistake.

In order to get to my feet I needed one of my hands to push myself up, the wind was simply too strong for me to do it with my legs alone. Cheese moaned fretfully and screwed up his eyes as I took my right hand away from the embrace in which I held him and used it to shift my weight onto my feet, before finally gaining a rather wobbly upright stance. Unable to control my reflexes, I threw my arms out in desperation, making a feeble effort to keep my balance as I teetered precariously. As though sensing my weakness, the evil tempest swiftly snatched my friend from my grasp, whisking him away.

"CHEESE!" I cried, distraught.

Only the shrieking of the vindictive wind answered. Without a though for my personal safety, I spread my ears, allowing the weather to take total advantage of their full span, and leapt into the swirling air, the currents propelling me onward with little effort on my part. Tears streaked down my face as I flew, fiery determination flaring from within my normally tranquil irises. In a matter of moments my keen hearing picked up on the terrified squeaks of my beloved Chao, and I battled to control my flight path, flapping my ears to further increase my speed. Cheese was a little ahead, the squall mercilessly keeping him just out of my reach. With one final endeavour, I clasped his small form in my hands and held on for dear life, refusing to be separated from him again.

Exhaustion flooded through me, the last of my panic inspired energy fading once Cheese was safe in my clutches. I no longer had the strength to fight the wind, my lead-lined ears no longer seemed capable of sustaining flight. Fear clamped my heart as the comprehension dawned on me that the tempest now how had complete control, and doing the only thing I think of, I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the inevitable impact of whatever the wind deemed to blow me into.

But when the impact came it wasn't the painful experience I had envisioned. Instead it was soft, as I was blown against something furry and alive. Strong hands gripped my waist, and although I was still to cowardly to open my eyes, I could perceive the whirring sound of rotating propellers somewhere behind me. At least I think it was behind me, at that point I was too disorientated to tell. The sound increased in intensity as I was carried steadily out of the central whirlwind before coming into a slight crash landing, my rescuer taking the brunt of the collision as I was thrown on top of him.

"Ughh… Cream are you ok?"

My eyes snapped open to reveal a caramel furred fox staring up at me with eyes of the purest cyan. For a moment I didn't know who he was, I was still too shook up, then I remembered the propellers…

"T-Tails!"

I couldn't believe it, Tails had rescued me! I had no idea that he was such a strong flyer. Realising the questionable position I was in, I quickly scrambled away, my face burning.

Ignoring my ungracious exclamation, the kitsune pushed himself up and continued to gaze at me with the usual traces of anxiety. "You're not hurt are you?"

Shaking my head, I forced myself to look at him properly despite my flushed appearance, "No, I think I'm ok… thanks to you."

Tails rubbed the back of head and grinned, "That's a relief, you had no idea how worried you had me when I saw you being blown away like that!" His own cheeks achieved a pink tinge at that comment, and he looked away, taking interest in the flutter of petals encircling us. "What exactly happened? You know you shouldn't be out here in this weather!"

"Well the storm calmed down a little earlier so I came out with Cheese-" I stopped in mid sentence as I remembered my Chao, and found him unconscious in my arms.

"Cheese? Cheese are you alright?" I asked worriedly, cradling the creature.

Seeing my distress, Tails leaned over to get a closer look, "Don't worry, he's only fainted," he said kindly, "Probably because of the shock of it all."

Relieved, I gave him a shy smile and edged closer. We'd landed underneath one of the countryside's many large trees, the thick trunk and leafy canopy providing some of the much needed shelter from the ever present air currents. He'd done so much for me, I owed him my life - he was a hero! And yet he merely sat there, leaning his back on the rough bark of the tree with that thoughtful expression on his features, still looking at me.

_I can't believe he battled those winds for me…_

"Thank you so much for saving me and Cheese," I blurted suddenly, unsure how to express my gratitude, "You were so brave!"

Tails grinned, embarrassed, "Not really, anyone would have done the same. You're lucky I came by!"

Curiosity made me question further. "Why did you come by?" I asked, assuming my most innocent expression.

For some reason, that seemed to embarrass him even more, "Well I, er, just wanted to check that you were ok after this morning," he mumbled, then rummaged inside his tails before pulling out something small and shiny, "And to give you this. You left it at my place."

As he dropped the item onto my upturned palm, I saw that it was in fact one of the gold pins from my gloves, and sure enough there was a empty slit in my left cuff were it should have been. I found it strange that I'd never noticed it before. I stared at him, bewildered.

_He came all that way just to give me this?_

I felt the funny-tails feeling make a triumphant return, the tiny butterflies beating their wings against the insides of my stomach. But oddly enough, it didn't feel so bad this time. I smiled in spite of myself, not caring anymore, and shifted over till I was right by Tails's side. The fox-boy reddened slightly as I gently leant my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes as I did so.

"Thank you Tails."

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It was past eight in the evening when the wind finally died down enough for us to safely leave the field, so darkness had fallen when I eventually made it home. Tails had insisted on walking me back, not that I needed much persuasion in my current tired state, the day's exertion having effectively worn me out. I invited him indoors in return; it seemed the least I could after everything that had happened, but he politely declined, saying that he had to return to his workshop to ensure that there had been no weather damage. So after thanking him once more, I bade him goodnight and entered my house, still carrying the sleeping Chao, were I was greeted by my mother's overwhelming embrace.

"Oh Cream, thank goodness you're safe!" she cried the moment I stepped through the door, "You had me so worried!"

I returned the hug, releasing Cheese first so he wouldn't get squashed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you worry," I murmured dozily.

"Whatever happened?"

"I got into a bit of trouble…" I paused to yawn, "But Tails came by and helped me so it's ok."

I watched my mother's shapely eyebrows shoot up in alarm, "What! Cream I told you that you shouldn't have gone outside…" She trailed off, seeing my drooping eyelids as I looked up at her apologetically, and sighed. "Never mind that now," she soothingly, stroking my aching ears, "So Tails helped you, eh?"

"Yeah, I left my glove pin at his place and he brought it back…"

"Oh really?" she tittered knowingly, though I was not wide awake enough to understand, and started wandering into the kitchen, "He's such a nice boy…"

"Yes," I smiled, gazing out the window in the direction Tails had left, "he really is."

* * *

**Wow, that was a long chapter! I hope it didn't drag on too much... Anyway, please review for me. Good reviews inspire me to write more straight away, so if you want me to continue, you know what you gotta do! Plus it makes my really happy to hear all your opinions!**

**Till next time,**

**fairy-girl**


	3. Girl Talk

**I am so sorry that it's taken me this long to update, I've had really bad case of writers block recently and this chapter's been giving me a lot of trouble. I feel especially bad for making all the wonderful people who reviewed my last chapter wait so long, and I honestly can't thank those people enough. Your reviews were all unbelievably awesome and I loved each and every one of them! I only hope that this chapter doesn't disappoint…**

**Disclaimer: I know that you all know this by now, but I thought I'd stick one in here anyway. I do not own Tails, Cream, Amy or anything else Sonic related that may appear in this story (as much as I wish I did).**

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**Cream's POV**

It was dawn when I finally decided to go and see her. Don't ask me why I had to choose that particular time, maybe I just wasn't thinking straight. All I knew was that I had to get things sorted out as soon as possible, and she was the only one who could possibly help me. So after leaving a note on the kitchen table just in case my mother woke up before I returned, I set out across the fields to save time, a short cut that rewarded me by soaking my shoes and socks with morning dew. I left Cheese snoozing peacefully on my pillow. I wanted to bring him, I really did, but after forcing him to endure another night of my tossing and turning, I didn't have the heart to wake him from his slumber.

Looking up, I could make out the streaks of pale pink gradually mingling with the inky blue-black remnants of the night sky, as golden tints began to outline the fluffy, mauve clouds. The winter months meant that not even the birds had woken properly yet, and the ominous silence that followed me as I hurriedly made my way through the countryside proved that the majority of the world was still asleep. Not me though, I hadn't slept properly for the past two days. How could I when my waking moments were constantly filled with thoughts of Tails and that mysterious feeling I get when ever I think of him? That feeling that I'm experiencing even now. The most infuriating thing about it was that I still had no idea why! I spent hours trying to figure it out, but my efforts remained fruitless. And that wasn't even the worst part…

That night when Tails walked me home after saving me, I felt so happy. Once again the reason for this escaped me completely, but at the time I didn't care, I was too drowsy. But as I was on the verge of falling to sleep, snuggled blissfully in my warm, yellow duvet with my Chao curled up beside me, I remembered the one thing I'd forgotten during all the excitement.

_Cosmo…_

I could picture her pretty face as she bashfully told me how Tails had fought to protect her from Shadow's wrath over a year ago. How her pale cheeks reddened slightly as she described how he carried her bridal style in his arms while flying away, similar to the way he had carried me that very afternoon. And then a different feeling came; a horrible, sad, sickly feeling deep down inside. It was almost as if I'd betrayed her somehow, though I wasn't sure what my action of betrayal was. I felt like I'd intruded upon someplace sacred, someplace where I had no right to be, and it was these emotions which had plagued my mind these past few days, causing sleep to constantly evade me. I had to tell someone, to get it off my chest so that maybe, just maybe I could solve whatever it was that was troubling me.

Which is why I'm here right now, staring at the carved wooden sign which bore the words 'The House of Amy Rose', wondering if I'd made the right decision. I felt bad disturbing her, it was clearly far too early for any sane person to be awake without reason, and if I'd learnt anything these past few years, it's that Amy does not like missing out on her full quota of sleep. I hovered indecisively at the bottom of the garden path for a while as the sky grew steadily lighter, the sun's rays chasing away the last of the night, intent on enjoying its few hours of glory up above before the darkness pushed it back down again.

_I've come this far, no point in turning back now._

Mentally steeling myself, I strolling boldly up the pathway to the doorstep – or at least as boldly as I could manage. Brushing my damp feet on the bristly 'Welcome' mat, I reached up on my tiptoes for the small brass knocker and knocked sharply three times.

You're probably wondering why I couldn't talk to my mother about my mysterious dilemma. The truth is I don't even know myself… it just didn't feel right, which is unusual because I can normally talk to my mother about anything. Amy seemed the natural choice, she is my best friend after all and she'd had quite a bit of experience when it came to dealing with boys and grown-up feelings. She's been chasing Sonic long enough. Plus I once asked Knuckles why Amy always acted so strangely around Sonic, back in the days when I first met the group and didn't realise how much she loved him. He laughed and said that it was because of her hormones. I didn't really get it, and I still don't, but I guess that they must be something to do with figuring out boys and it was one of those "You'll understand it when you're older" kind of things.

Presently I shivered as the chilly breeze raised goose pimples on my bare arms. Whishing I'd thought to bring an extra layer of clothing, I reached up and knocked again, this time harder and for longer, which wasn't easy considering my height. Eventually my persistence provoked a response, and a frustrated wail ensued from the heart of the house, followed by a loud thump and an impressive array of colourful curses. Then after a lot of scuffling around accompanied by some murderous mutterings, the newly awoken Amy started towards the door.

_**CRASH! CRASH!**_

I flinched and shrank involuntarily away from the entrance, half expecting it to swing open through sheer vibration, revealing a savage beast stomping down the hallway.

_Maybe this wasn't such a good idea…_

_**CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!**_

There was a brief pause as she struggled with the lock, then the door swung open with such force that my fur rippled with the resulting draft. And there stood Amy, her green eyes blazing as her usually soft looking quills stuck out rigidly in all directions. I watched in dismay as her trademark Piko Piko hammer materialised in her right hand, as she commenced waving it around in full fury.

"WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA!" she raged at thin air, apparently blind to who was cowering at one side of her doorstep, "JUST WHERE DO YOU GET OFF PLAYING PRANKS AT THIS HOUR!"

"A-Amy…" I panicked, stepping in front of her (though still at a safe distance from the heart emitting weapon) in an attempt to calm her down, "It's just me!"

"I HAVE A GOOD MIND TO- huh?" the pink monster blinked, mellowing slightly as she registered my existence, "Cream? What are you doing here?"

I bowed apologetically, "I'm sorry for disturbing you, but I really need to talk to you about something."

I watched Amy's shoulders sag as she leant against the doorframe, yawning widely from tiredness. She seemed to have returned to her regular, friendly self now that she'd established I wasn't some sort of hoodlum (much to my relief), showing that her abrupt burst of activity was fuelled by indignation alone. I noticed she was wearing a long, white dressing gown, the fleecy kind, with little red hearts embroidered on the pockets and matching slippers. She had also acquired a small, angry lump on the right side of her head. The red and yellow mallet dropped to her feet and promptly vanished in a small flash of light. Any other time, this would have fascinated me, but not today.

"What could possibly be so important that you need to talk to me about it at six in the morning?" she asked, looking at me with bleary eyes.

"Well…" I trailed off, unable to find the words to start with. How could I explain to her what I didn't even understand myself? I soon found myself wringing my hands anxiously, an old habit of mine when things aren't going well. There were so many confused feelings floating through me that now I was here I didn't know where to begin.

_Feelings for Tails…_

Cosmo's smiling image suddenly swam before me, causing the turmoil I'd recently experienced and hidden away to resurface, and I felt my lashes grow damp. My memories of her are all so warm and gentle… so why do they cause me to despair now?

Amy's hand appeared on my arm. "Cream? Are you alright?" she asked, concern evident in the tone of her voice.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, and before I knew it I was sobbing into her shoulder, my tears creating a wet patch as they soaked through the soft fabric. Seeing this, I hastily backed away, horrified at the stain I'd caused, "Ah! I'm so sorry; I've wet your dressing gown!"

"Don't be silly, that's what dressing gowns are made for," came Amy's sensible response as she enveloped her arms around me and began to gently steer me towards the threshold of her house. Her expression was kindly, no longer showing any traces of her previous weariness. Once again, my best friend had managed to instantly switch personalities to the one that best served her current situation, in this case, her caring, attentive one. It was one of her most admirable qualities, and a trait which had awed me since the day I met her. Sniffing embarrassedly, I nodded and allowed myself to be led into the quaint country house, feeling terrible for burdening her with my problems like this at such an unearthly hour. She didn't even ask me what was wrong, but seemed content with guiding me through the wood panelled hallway into the cosy living room before I broke down again, never once pressing me for the details which I no longer felt ready to give.

Pausing briefly to sit me down on the burgundy sofa, she then continued into her bedroom, returning with a floppy, white teddy bear, which she dropped into my lap before turning to smile at me again.

"You don't mind if I get washed and dressed before we talk, do you?" she asked, giving me a small wink, "I focus much better when I haven't got sleep in my eyes."

I stared dazedly at the plush animal splayed across my knees. It was my favourite one out of Amy's entire collection, the one with the little pink, velvety nose. I'd taken to adopting it whenever I slept over at her house, especially on the rare occasions that I didn't have Cheese with me. I stoked the bear delicately, taking comfort in the feel of its soft fur beneath my fingertips. Amy knew that this toy could always make me feel better when I was alone, that must be why she'd brought it to me now; she must have noticed the absence of my Chao. And on top of that she was offering to give me the time I needed to sort out my thoughts; she still wasn't demanding any answers from me despite my intrusion.

Feeling a rush of gratitude towards my friend, a looked up at her with shining eyes, hoping that she'd understand how much her kindness meant to me, "Thank you Amy."

She waved my thanks away, "What for? I only said I was going to get changed." I watched as she entered the bathroom for a moment, then stuck her arm out briefly to sling a pink "Pampering in Progress" sign over the door handle. "I'll be out in a few minutes," she called form behind the closed door, "Tissues are in the top drawer of the side table."

Following her instructions, I soon located the multi-coloured, square box and helped myself to some of the patterned tissues, almost tempted to smile at the tiny rainbow animals prancing across them. Already I felt a lot calmer, resting on the dark rose sofa cushions, listening to the faint, slightly off-key melody that was Amy humming in the shower, whilst still petting the cuddly creature spread across my legs. Simply being here helped ease my frazzled nerves, and for the first time since the day of the storm, I started to relax and take in my surroundings. I'd been here before of course, but Amy liked to change things round every now and then whenever she got bored.

Her house was pleasant and, surprisingly enough, nowhere near as pink as you'd think. That's not to say that their wasn't a significant amount of pinkness that dominated her home, but it was more in the form of small trinkets dotted around the rooms, and so it didn't had the overwhelming effect that most people would assume. Her living room wasn't overly spacious, but it was well furnished, giving it that homey feel that reminded me a lot of my own house. A deep magenta rug embroidered with swirls decorated the lacquered floorboards while the windowsill, side table and practically every other available surface was decorated with pretty jewellery boxes, ornaments, or vases of sweet smelling flowers (roses from her garden being the most popular). In front of me was a small fire place with pictures of us all in assorted photo frames arranged on top. There was one of me and Amy in our swimming costumes from when we took a trip to the beach this summer on the left hand side. A group photo showing me with Sonic and Tails had been placed on the right; Amy had even managed to get Knuckles in the frame! Lastly, taking pride of place in the centre of the mantelpiece was a photo of Sonic in his traditional 'I look cool and I know it' pose, though one glance at the frame told me that if he knew the photo existed, he wouldn't be caught dead in it.

I felt a smile tug at my lips as I examined the glittery pink and red hearts that climbed the twisted silver wires enclosing the picture. Amy really does love him more than anyone else in the world, doesn't she? And even though Sonic has rejected her countless times, she's never given up or backed down once. She just keeps on chasing him. Even when we first returned home from Chris's world and Sonic was left behind, she promised herself that she would wait for him, even if it meant waiting for the rest of her life. I decided there and then that Amy was a far braver and stronger person than I could ever be. I doubt that I would be able rise so easily after falling down, I don't honestly think that I'd be able to cope if the person I loved the most didn't love me back… Without realising it, my eyes had suddenly strayed back to the group photo with Tails grinning cutely in the centre. I was standing right next to him, hugging Cheese as usual; we looked so happy and carefree. That seems like eons ago now, when in reality it was only a year and a half. What I wouldn't give to go back to those days when I just thought of him a friend. Just a friend…

_So how do I think of him now?_

In truth, I had no idea. But for some reason I couldn't stop thinking about how close together we were standing in that photo, so close that the fur on his arm brushed mine. Like when I first went to see him and he hugged me. Like when he rescued me from the whirlwind and carried me in his arms.

_So very close…_

"Cream…?"

I spun around in surprise, having not heard the hedgehog girl emerge from the bathroom and walk over to my side. She'd donned her usual attire, which looked adorable on her as always, the only difference being the beige plaster that had taken residence just in front of her right ear. She caught me staring at it and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"Oh this? Hehe, I fell off the bed when I woke up," she explained, unintentionally making me feel worse. She raised a hand to stop me before I could apologise, then tilted her head to one side and stared at me strangely, "You were miles away, what were you thinking of?"

"Errrm…" I murmured, averting my gaze.

I heard a small gasp escape my friend, "Omigosh! Are you _blushing_?"

"N-no!" I stammered, Amy's question having made me blush harder. She continued to stare at me in disbelief for a moment, then grabbed my wrist and dragged me back to the couch, firmly plonking me on the seat beside her.

"Right," she said, looking at me with eager anticipation, "tell me _everything._"

I twiddled nervously with the blue satin ribbon on my dress. This was it, this was why I'd come. Amy's curiosity was obvious, but instead of getting impatient with like I feared she would, she simply covered my free hand with hers and squeezed reassuringly. And so, taking a deep breath, I turned towards her and started to talk. I did exactly what she asked of me, I told her _everything._ Every tiny detail that I could possibly think of to do with events of the past few days. I told her about how I went to visit Tails on the anniversary of Cosmo's death; I told her how he embraced me when I cried. I described how he plucked me out of the air when I was about to be blown away, and the funny-Tails-feeling that inevitably followed. Then, finally, I explained about how I can almost feel Cosmo's presence close by whenever I thought of Tails in this strange new way, and how wretched it always made me feel. Amy kept quiet all the way through, nodding slightly every now and then to show that I had her undivided attention. Feeling drained of energy, I allowed my back to rest on the cushions behind me once I'd finished.

I looked at her apprehensively from beneath my eyelashes. "So do you know what's wrong with me?" I asked timidly.

When she remained silent, I was afraid that she didn't know; that my problem was truly abnormal. Then to my great surprise, I saw a jittery little smile playing across her lips, as though she'd heard something funny and was trying her best not to laugh. I blinked a few times, hardly able to believe what I was seeing. I'd just poured my heart and soul out to her and she was just sitting there, grinning.

"Amy!" I cried, feeling quite distressed at this point. Which of my problems exactly had she found so amusing?

Clearly unable to hold it any longer, she burst out into a fit of giggles before launching herself at me and hugging me tightly. "I'm sorry Cream," she laughed, "It's just the way you were talking, I though there was something seriously wrong."

If nothing else, this astounded me even more. After a few seconds she pulled back, wiping away laughter tears, then proceeded to smile at me, "Come to me with a hard one next time, 'kay?"

"You mean you do know what's wrong with me?"

Her expression changed to one of sympathy, having realised just how worried I was, "There's nothing wrong with you silly, you're in love!"

I blinked. "In… love?"

She folded her arms and grinned to herself, apparently pleased with her deduction, "Yep."

For a moment I considered whether she was joking or not, then I wondered whether she was just plain crazy. "You must be mistaken-," I began, only to be abruptly cut off by a slender finger wagging in front of my nose.

"I am never mistaken when it come to matters of the heart!" she declared, getting quite excited, "Think about it Cream, all the signs are there! He's always on your mind, you blush whenever he's mentioned, like you're doing now, and you get butterflies whenever you're near him!"

"But I can't love him!" I argued as my voice started to raise humiliatingly, something that only happens when I'm stressed, "I've never though of Tails as anything other than a friend before now. You don't just fall in love with your friend because he hugs you!"

She raised an eyebrow and gave me one of those 'welcome to the real world' kind of looks, "Sometimes it just happens that way, a girl and a boy can be childhood friends for years, then one day it'll just hit one of them that they fancy the other. Besides, look at me and Sonic!" At this thought she clasped her hands together under her chin, her emerald eyes glittering with the light of a thousand stars, "I fell in love with him the moment I laid eyes on him!"

Ok I admit it, I sweat-dropped. I couldn't help it, it's the effect Amy in 'Sonic mode' has on you. Trying to get her back on track before I lost the lovesick hedgehog completely, I brought up the part which had been bothering me the most. "Well if I am in love, then why do I feel so bad about it?"

She sobered after hearing this, and returned her attention to me, her expression having expertly changed back into one of seriousness. Sighing, she took my hand again, "It must be because you feel guilty about Cosmo."

I didn't say a word; I merely continued to gaze at her questioningly. Amy turned over my hand and started tracing her finger along imaginary lines on my palm; a practise which I assumed came from the days when she used to tell fortunes with tarot cards. Her touch tickled, but I didn't feel like laughing.

She continued sadly, "You and Cosmo were good friends; you knew how much she loved Tails, like you knew how much Tails loved her. And even though she's gone now, you must feel like you're betraying her since you've developed feelings for the one she cared for the most…"

"…Like I'm trying to take her place," I murmured, finishing for her.

Amy shook her head, "You mustn't say that, even if it is how you feel. You've done nothing wrong Cream!" Now she was holding both my hands together in her own and staring at me intently. "Cosmo's gone. We all wish she was still with us but she isn't. At least she's at peace now. And I know that the last thing she'd want is for you and Tails to be miserable for the rest of your lives! So please, if you can do nothing else then at least stop worrying about betraying her."

I nodded slowly, seeing sense in her words, "She'd just want us to be happy, right?"

"Right," she smiled, letting go, "You know, I think Tails may be going through something similar. You've really helped him Cream."

"What do you mean?"

"I was out shopping the other day when I saw Tails picking up some parts from an electronics store," she explained, "I actually had to rub my eyes to make sure I wasn't seeing things, I was that amazed! He hasn't been out in public for months; the poor guy's been too depressed despite mine and Sonic's efforts to get him to be his normal self. Before now he's just kept hiding away in his workshop…" Her eyes lit up at this next part, "But now it all makes sense! He's come out again because of you Cream; you were the only one who was able to get through to him!"

"I don't know about that…" I murmured shyly, fidgeting in my seat.

My companion grinned knowingly, "Trust me, I know guys. When a girl who's close to them affects them like that, feelings change. You two are growing up, the hormones have to kick in sooner or later."

_There's that strange word again…_

Noticing my perplexed expression, she flapped her hand dismissively, "Then again, maybe it's still a bit too early for all that. But I still think there's a chance he likes you back. After all, you're clearly helping him get over Cosmo."

Her words spoke to me in ways that I'm sure she hadn't intended, and I was suddenly overcome by a wave of emotion. Closing my eyes, I placed my hand on my chest and shook my head, "No… loosing a loved one isn't something you can just 'get over'." I could feel my beating heart throb gently beneath my fingers, as memories of a small robot plunging into the ocean washed over me, carrying the sent of the sea spray that had soaked my trembling form at that very time.

_Emerl…_

"Time may make it hurt less, but the love you shared with them never truly leaves you," I opened eyes sadly and gazed at the floor, talking more to myself that anyone, "Tails will never get over Cosmo, no matter how much time passes, she will always be with him… And I respect the place Tails has for her in his heart; I won't try to take it."

From the corner of my eye, I could see Amy staring at me wide-eyed. "Wow," she breathed, almost too softly for even my sensitive hearing, "You really do love him don't you?"

I glanced at her, wondering if I'd misheard, "Pardon?"

"You've just admitted to yourself that you love him and you don't even realise it."

"T-that's not true…" I said defensively, my stuttering not helping matters. But my voice went unheard. Amy's a great friend, but when she gets hyped up she's completely oblivious to most things around her.

"Ok then!" she jumped up and clapped her hands together, making the gold bracelets adorning her wrists jingle as they met, "You've managed to overcome Step 1: Accepting your new love. Now you can move on to Step 2!"

"Step 2…?" I echoed, clueless.

Amy reached over and picked up her phone, then proceeded to dangle in front of me teasingly. "Now you gotta ask your love out on a date!"

I don't think I've ever moved so fast in my entire life. I was up and at the opposite end of the room like lightning, staying as far away from the hyper Amy and her pink phone as possible, "Err, I don't think that's such a good idea..."

"Sure it is," she said, advancing slowly towards me, "If you don't make a move then nothing will change!"

"Nothing would change even if I did, Tails doesn't like me that way," came my reply as I dodged behind the table. Didn't she understand that he was still grieving?

Seeing that she wouldn't be able to catch me, never mind convince to call him, Amy merely shrugged and sat beck down, her fringe masking part of her eyes. For a second I thought I'd hurt her feelings, then I saw one eye gleam despite the shadows of her hair. "Fine," she whispered, a devilish smirk spreading across her face, "but if you won't, I will."

I imagine that my pupils shank to dots after hearing that that. To put it politely, I was stunned, so much so that it took the dull beeping sound of Amy dialling Tails's number to rouse me again.

"No Amy, you can't!" I panicked, waving my hands in agitation.

"Sure I can. See, here I am pressing the 'call' button…"

"No, please!" I begged, "It's still early, you'll wake him up!"

"Don't worry about that. Tails always wakes up early, it's in his nature."

"But, but!"

Amy raised a hand to silence me as the line connected, signalling that Tails had picked up the phone.

"Hiya Tails!" she gushed excitedly, completely ignoring my silent pleas in the background.

"Oh, hi Amy," I heard his faint reply from down the receiver, "What can I do for you?"

_Oooooh, this is bad! So very, very bad!_

The hedgehog gave me a sly sideways look and grinned, "Nothing for me thanks, Cream wanted to ask you something. I'll just put her on."

_Noooooooo! What's she trying to do to me!_

I shook my head violently when she attempted to pass me the phone, earning me a pitying stare before she casually threw the cordless in my direction, my eyes widening in horror as she did so. She thinks she knows me so well, relying on the fact that she knows I wouldn't let it drop in case it broke when it hit the floor. Well maybe I should surprise her! While I was pondering this, I felt my hands instinctively close around the plastic object flying through midair, and to my dismay found the phone already in my clutches.

_Why does Amy always have to be right about me?_

"Cream? Is that you?" came Tails's far away voice.

Timidly, I lifted the receiver to my ear, dreading the outcome of our conversation, "It's me."

"Hey, how are you?" he asked, his tone becoming much brighter the moment he'd confirmed my voice's identity. Was that just my imagination, or was he genuinely happy to hear from me? My insides began to grow pleasantly warm as I answered, "I'm fine thank you."

"That's good to know, I was still a little worried after what happened the last time we met." He cut himself short for some reason and cleared his throat awkwardly, "Anyway, what did you want to ask me?"

The warm feeling disappeared in an instant, as though someone had just dumped a bucket of cold water over my head, leaving me drenched from head to toe. I didn't have any idea what to say, not even the slightest clue. All I knew was that I couldn't possibly ask him out like Amy wanted. If Tails knew how I felt… he might not want to be friends with me anymore. To me, such a fate would be even worse than simply being told that he didn't love me back. Besides, I'm sure Amy is over exaggerating, there's no way I can possibly love Tails in anything other that a platonic sense. There's just no way…

"Er... are you still there?"

I snapped back to reality, alarmed that I'd been so rude as to have kept my friend waiting. "Yes, yes! I'm still here!" I practically shouted through the mouthpiece.

He chuckled slightly, sensing my embarrassment, "Its alright, you can calm down, I'm not in any rush or anything. So what's up?"

"Errm…"

_What on earth am I supposed to say!_

I shook myself as I desperately searched the recess of my mind for a plausible question. There had to be something that I wanted to ask him, something that only he could answer. There were, of course, a great many things that only someone as intelligent as Tails could explain, but all of them were far to advanced for me.

"Go on, you can ask me," the kitsune probed gently.

_Come on Cream, think!_

What else could Tails do apart from create complicated inventions? Well he could fly, that one was obvious, but then again so could I, even if my talent was not as strong as his. Then I was hit with a sudden bolt of inspiration.

"Flying!" I called out hastily, praying that he'd believe I was sincere, "Could you please teach me to fly?"

"Huh? But you can already fly," stated Tails, sounding rather puzzled at my unusual request. I didn't blame him, if he was half as confused as I was at that moment in time, then his head must be spinning like Sonic with a ring.

"Ah, no, what I mean is…" I tried to elaborate whilst pretending not to see Amy mouthing instructions to me from the opposite end of the room, "I was wondering if you could please teach me to fly your plane. I know that you taught me how to fly that spacecraft you made for me while we were in space, but I haven't been able to practise in over a year, so I'm afraid that I've lost the knack of it."

No sooner than I'd said the words, I clamped my hand over my mouth, terrified. What if my asking triggered his sad memories of Cosmo again? Cursing my stupidity, I prepared to apologise for my thoughtlessness, only to be stopped in my tracks by the sound of the fox's cheery reply.

"Sure, I'd love to help you," there was that awkward little cough again as though he'd just realised what he'd said, then he recovered, sounding reasonably happy again. "It'll be good practise for you to try the plane; the controls are slightly different to the spacecraft so we'll be able to see how well you adjust. Plus I think it'll be good to get out again…"

My face flushed uncontrollably, "T-thank you so much Tails!"

I was so surprised; I honestly didn't think that he'd be that eager to help me. We exchanged a few more words, arranging to meet up later that day, another part of our conversation that shocked me. I expected him to me busy or tired, that my lesson would be sometime next week, if not later. But he ensured me over and over again that I wasn't troubling him in the slightest (I had to check more than once, I hate causing problems for my friends) and that he was more than happy to meet me that afternoon, like he first suggested. And so after thanking him once more, I hung up with a sigh of relief, grateful that I'd managed to come up with a satisfying question when put on the spot. Tails's words lingered in my mind as I slowly returned the phone to its original place. _"Sure, I'd love to help you."_

He hadn't emphasised the word 'love' in any way, yet for some reason it was this sentence that continued to reply in my head, as though someone had set it on constant loop. The warmth in my cheeks failed to subside like it normally did, the pink tinge clinging stubbornly to my pale fur.

"Soooo," Amy gave me a playful dig in the ribs, making me jump about two feet in the air, "He'd _love_ to help you, eh? That wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I said ask him out on a date, but it's good enough for now."

I rounded on her, feeling rather annoyed that she made me jump so high, "That was really unfair of you Amy, you know I couldn't ask him that! Tails and I are just friends."

"Yeah, for now," she winked, clearly enjoying herself. Seeing my expression, she tried to summon up some remorse, "I'm sorry, it's just you two make such a cute couple, and I honestly think that he may like you back. You'll just have to give him time."

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Ten minutes later I found myself at the bottom of paved path leading up to Amy's front door, after having nearly tripped over the wonky flag stone due to my haste on the way down. My new mentor had thrust me out of the doorway in obvious delight, instructing me to return home as fast as my ears could carry me in order to prepare myself for my 'date'. Fighting back a sigh, I gave my friend one last wave before starting the journey home on foot. As much as I appreciated her advice, the morning's developments had exhausted me, and my poor ears didn't feel up to sustaining flight. Must be all those sleepless nights making a comeback. Baby sunbeams streamed joyfully through the cotton-wool clouds and landed on my head, though they brought little warmth with them at 7:30 in the morning. I'd have to wait till they matured at midday for that.

Checking that Amy's house was out of sight, I leant lightly again the nearest sapling, giving the childish breeze permission to play with my flying appendages. I still couldn't believe that Amy did that to me. I understand that she was only trying to help, but at the same time, I just couldn't shake the feeling that it was all about to go terribly wrong. And now I have to have a piloting lesson with Tails… I hope I'll be able to handle it ok. Then the truth dawned on me.

_Oh my gosh! I'm going to have to fly the X-Tornado!_

I hadn't even considered what I'd have to fly when I'd first asked. The X-Tornado was huge and difficult to manoeuvre unless you were an experienced pilot, there's no way someone like me could possibly fly it! I bet it's a lot more complicated than my little spaceship too. I cradled my head in my hands, whishing more than ever that Cheese was with me to provide some squeaks of reassurance.

_What have I gotten myself into…?_

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**I hope this update wasn't too boring, its one of those chapters that's necessary in order for the story to progress, but not much happens in it. _(Sighs) _I tried my best to make it interesting, I really did. I'm really sorry if I failed though. I promise that the next chapter will be much better, and hopefully quicker to write too. But until then, please review for me. I'd really, really appreciate it if you did. **

**Till next time,**

**fairy-girl**


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